Do Bid Adjustments by Radius Overlap?

If I was setting up a campaign in which I wanted the entire state of California to receive a bid adjustment of +15%, and then planned to set small radius locations within california that would have a NEGATIVE 15% bid adjustment, would this work in that we would pay our regular price for these small radius locations and an increased 15% ONLY for the areas of California that are outside of these radius locations?

Also, if two of these radius bubbles were to overlap, and both of them had a negative 15% bid adjustment, would somebody that fell under both radiuses receive double, or a 30% adjustment? Or, if there were 3 radiuses that all overlapped, would it then go up to a 45% adjustment, etc.??

Do Bid Adjustments by Radius overlap?

If I was setting up a campaign in which I wanted the entire state of California to receive a bid adjustment of +15%, and then planned to set small radius locations within california that would have a NEGATIVE 15% bid adjustment, would this work in that we would pay our regular price for these small radius locations and 15% ONLY for the areas of California that are outside of these radius locations?

Also, if two of these radius bubbles were to overlap, and both of them had a negative 15% bid adjustment, would somebody that fell under both radiuses receive double, or a 30% adjustment? Or, if there were 3 radiuses that all overlapped, would it then go up to a 45% adjustment, etc.??

Re: Do Bid Adjustments by Radius Overlap?

So does it mean they increase to -30% or -45% when they are overlapped? I talked to my Google rep who said they don't overlap and add up. I was informed that the most correct radius target will get the adjustment. Any reliable links to prove this?

Re: Do Bid Adjustments by Radius Overlap?

Hi Paul, as mentioned, Location bid adjustments do not "add up" so if targets overlap, AdWords will use the most restrictive area as the source of the bid adjustment amount. So, if you target California and a radius around San Jose, for a searcher in San Jose the radius bid adjustment will be used.

Note that because Location bids don't add up, your plan to have "unadjusted" bids for these radii won't work as you've described in your original post. Since it is only the most restrictive area that's used, if you give a -15% adjustment to the radius the bid will be reduced by 15% (because the California +15% is ignored). You will need to set your radius bid adjustment simply to 0%.

Note also that - until I hear different - it'd advise actually using 0% and not just leaving the bid adjustment blank as a blank field might cause AdWords to ignore the adjustment completely (and therefore apply the +15% California adjustment). See the thread here: